No Judgement: what little things/weird habits to help maintain your weight

blossom015

Backstory: I've been at my goal weight for approximately 9 months now.
Stats: female, 5'4", 127lbs +/-. Lost 80lbs

I use to have a sweet tooth. Therefore, in order to keep it a bay I don't keep sweets readily available. For example, instead of baking an entire cake or pie I purchase individual slices. I figure out of sight is out of mind...

What are some of the little things you do to help maintain your weight?

hapa11

80 lbs, wow! Great job. One thing I try to do is get on the treadmill around 3 p.m., or try to run an errand around that time. That's the time I'm hungry and start thinking about a snack. Anything to keep me out of the kitchen.

kommodevaran

Congrats on your loss, well done!

Keeping stuff out of sight, out of mind, out of mouth - is not a little thing! I do that too, no reason to make things harder than they need to be.

I also eat meals and don't (at least almost never) eat between meals.

I don't drink my calories, except for rare treats (like hot cocoa). I'll have smoothies, but they are creamily think and usually eaten with a spoon, and I consider them meals or part of meals.

I still log my food. (Not here anymore, I've switched to Fitbit.) I plan what I'm going to eat 1 to several days ahead and add needed supplies to shopping list on my phone. That's always with me.

I eat a vide variety of wonderful, delicious, tasty and healthy foods every day, for every meal. I decide what I want in advance, and make it fit in my plan.

I pick my favorite treats when I indulge in lower nutrient foods, but I don't do that often.

Edit: And I am a lot less lazy than before - I run errands more often, and go for walks, and try to walk whenever I don't have to take the bus.

KarolJohnson2127

I used to eat candy in the evening (as a treat, I allowed the calories for it), but it often turned into binging, because sugar just makes you more hungry. I thought i could just eat a little piece and be done, but finally admitted to myself that that's just not gonna happen, so i only eat sweets in the morning now.

Francl27

Moderation on sweets (I have a ton at home but eat one serving at a time), workout out every day, and keeping a deficit all the time to make up for that blasted PMS week where I typically end up 3500 calories over.

Azurite27

I do the same thing I did when losing. Pre-log the majority of my food. Pre-portion snacks so I can grab them guilt-free. Focus on macros within my calorie budget. I'm still a little nervous about ever going on a trip where I can't log accurately but I guess I'll just need to pack lots of granola/protein bars and pre-portioned nuts and chocolate for those times when my blood sugar crashes from not eating right (it's more a health issue than a diet issue that I've learned to manage through diet since the doctors can't find anything wrong).

Seigla

80 lbs, wow, you lost most of you! Nice!

I am still losing, but what helps me is intermediate fasting. Some days I eat what I need, or a bit more, and some days when I have willpower I eat (much) less than I need. This creates a net deficit. When I don't have the willpower I can just choose to eat. This has worked well for me in the past, it's been my main method to lose 45 pounds.

When I will go on maintenance I will design my meals to contain a certain amount of calories (and I will also sure that they contain the nutrients/vitamins that I need), so that I know how much I eat. I may do that earlier, but now I am still busy with my studies so I don't want to put too much mental effort into this weight loss project.

But overall I am quite relaxed with food and it works for me. However, I don't buy soda, juice, chips and candy. I guess this saves a lot of calories.

samthepanda

I have 2 kids in the house so there are going to be crisps and snacks, but I try to buy things that they like and I don't in terms of flavours. I have tried to keep a lot of the same good habits, like making most sauces myself (batch cooking is great), and not adding lots of extras like cheese when not needed.
Meal planning is key because when we are all hungry on our way home that's when it could be tempting to have chips or something, but knowing there is something ready in the slow cooker helps remove the temptation.

snowflakesav

I bought 6" pie and cake pans and I always freeze leftover cookie dough so I can cook 2 at a time. ..same thing with frozen Parker house rolls. I thaw just two.

If I want something salty and crunchy I have all kinds of pickled vegatables on hand.

Getting my fiancé on the same page with diet has made a huge difference.

fr3smyl

I'm not at maintenance yet but you guys are giving some great tools for getting there and staying there!

KBmoments

bump for when I get there!

starfish235

If you buy a pie cut it in to pieces and freeze individually. Measure things in zip locks a head so you know the calories. Mark on the pie how many calories it has in it. Keeping it frozen keeps it at bay a bit.

SuggaD

I won't buy things I'll overindulge on either. If I want it, I'll have to go get it. I will however bake things at home, and am pretty good at using moderation there. Its store bought things I have a problem with, especially bulk buys from Amazon. I cut that out.

samthepanda

Fun size chocolate bars are great too - bit of chocolate but usually under 100 cals.

blossom015

SirJaseph wrote: »

80 lbs, wow, you lost most of you! Nice!

I am still losing, but what helps me is intermediate fasting. Some days I eat what I need, or a bit more, and some days when I have willpower I eat (much) less than I need. This creates a net deficit. When I don't have the willpower I can just choose to eat. This has worked well for me in the past, it's been my main method to lose 45 pounds.

When I will go on maintenance I will design my meals to contain a certain amount of calories (and I will also sure that they contain the nutrients/vitamins that I need), so that I know how much I eat. I may do that earlier, but now I am still busy with my studies so I don't want to put too much mental effort into this weight loss project.

But overall I am quite relaxed with food and it works for me. However, I don't buy soda, juice, chips and candy. I guess this saves a lot of calories.

This sounds like a good idea. I do worry about becoming too relaxed with food and diet.

blossom015

I try to use some sort of vinegar based or cayenne pepper on certain foods to boost metabolism and encourage weight lost.

nxd10

I have 1/4 cup of really good ice cream every night - usually with cashews. I started when I was losing. Tastes wonderful. Does everything I want it to do. Completely satisfied with that amount. Oh, and if you put plain yogurt on it, the tart cream flavor is awesome on the sweet - like cheesecake is good with a sour cream frosting. Yum.

Weirdest thing? My kids and husband think I'm a loonbin for counting out the 51 pretzels in a serving or the 22 chips in an oz. What can I say? There are times I want to eat them, but I want to know how much.

dredremeg

Bump

Jesusjohnjames

blossom015 wrote: »

I try to use some sort of vinegar based or cayenne pepper on certain foods to boost metabolism and encourage weight lost.

That's a myth

shrinkingletters

I made derogatory remarks about the office doughnut-bringer's mother. She never offers me doughnuts anymore.

thegrimmycrew

sitting here eating my chips....slices of fresh raw yellow squash...crunchy..slightly sweet...lots o vitamin C

Laughter_Girl

I have only been maintaining for a few weeks, but I intend to continue doing everything I did to lose my weight for the rest of my life. Like the OP, I'm 5'4, but I weigh between 140 - 143. I have lost about 82 lbs. so we are similar in that respect. I did (and still do) the following:

1. Log everything I eat
2. Drink plenty of water
3. Exercise most days of the week including challenging myself with some form of exercise I've never done before (currently, preparing for a Warrior Dash)
4. Eat healthy meals and snacks (gotta have my snacks) at least 75% of the time
5. Eat in moderation and have some self-control

Jesusjohnjames

Fasting and under eating

Laura3BB

I often have a bowl of soup as soon as I get home from work around 7.30 Pm - as I'm starving by then it keeps we from overeating whatever's for dinner...

hollie894

shrinkingletters wrote: »

I made derogatory remarks about the office doughnut-bringer's mother. She never offers me doughnuts anymore.

You... I like!

moesis

I have an addiction to soda. In order to keep it at by I put Crystal Light in my water, all the sweetness & none of the calories.

Sabine_Stroehm

blossom015 wrote: »

Backstory: I've been at my goal weight for approximately 9 months now.
Stats: female, 5'4", 127lbs +/-. Lost 80lbs

I use to have a sweet tooth. Therefore, in order to keep it a bay I don't keep sweets readily available. For example, instead of baking an entire cake or pie I purchase individual slices. I figure out of sight is out of mind...

What are some of the little things you do to help maintain your weight?

I keep most sugary sweets out of the house as well. I keep some low sugar treats around, for desserts etc. But, I must admit that after a "reset" of my taste buds when I started (by eliminating all pastries, cookies, candies etc for a time) I find that I don't really crave things like pie, cake, cookies any more. I have a few things left that I could easily over indulge on, or indulge too often, so I don't keep them lying around.

Maintaining for about 13 or 14 years now.

schillewis

shrinkingletters wrote: »

I made derogatory remarks about the office doughnut-bringer's mother. She never offers me doughnuts anymore.

I literally laughed out loud at this.

schillewis

I'm still losing. What's been most helpful for me is planning my weekly dinners in advance and then shopping accordingly. I write out the menu for the week on a white board so everyone knows what to expect (and they can save their complaints, LOL) and it's a good reminder to me each morning of what I need to do for the day (defrost something, set up crock pot, etc). It's also lowered our grocery bill significantly - shopping lists are very specific - and helps me avoid just grabbing things off the shelf because they look appetizing.

snowflakesav

I weigh every day. I love fashion and I don't wear yoga pants and things with elastic waist bands much...my wardrobe is not forgiving of gaining 10 pounds. I have a supportive family. I walk a lot. I find a reason to walk somewhere nearly every day.

fr3smyl

Laura3BB wrote: »

I often have a bowl of soup as soon as I get home from work around 7.30 Pm - as I'm starving by then it keeps we from overeating whatever's for dinner...

I like this. I always have soup around so this would work for me.